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Know your competition, but don’t try to become them
One of the foundational activities I love to do with my clients is to look at similar businesses or organizations to see what they're doing and whether it's effective.
The goal isn't to emulate them or even to get inspiration. It's about finding gaps in the marketplace that could be filled with my client’s business offerings or through communication and marketing differentiation.
Being different is GOOD. After all, if every company presents itself in the same way, what's the point? Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it's not going to show how you're different. And your strength lies in what you do differently.
What kind of support can you get for marketing your small business? An introduction to outsourcing marketing
Oftentimes there is frustration or aversion when it comes to marketing because entrepreneurs have fallen into marketing because they want a business, not because they enjoy marketing or have marketing expertise. And while I love to help “accidental marketers” find joy in marketing by making it easier for them, I also know that sometimes the best thing to do for your business is to outsource the tasks that are draining your time and energy.
When you allow yourself to let go of some of these tasks, you can instead focus on the activities that are within your zone of genius; working more “on” the business, instead of “in” it. Here are a few of the most common options for outsourcing marketing work.
Business owners are creatives: Use that creativity for marketing
I talk to business owners all the time who struggle with the idea of creating content around their business. I maintain that most business owners have a strong tendency to be creative. Starting, building, and maintaining a business is in itself an act of constant creativity in response to all kinds of variables that come at you. So, begin to look at how you can harness your creative genius (in whatever form it comes) for marketing.
What should you look for when hiring marketing expertise?
I work in a very well-saturated space. There are marketing consultants and agencies everywhere—and they all have different strengths. But not all marketing expertise is created equal.
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